Zinc biofortification of bread winter wheat grain by single zinc foliar application

Dragana Ivanović,Vesna Kandić,Dejan Dodig,Gordana Tamindžić,Nina Nikolić,Nenad Đurić,Jasna Savić

doi:10.1007/s42976-021-00144-2

Abstract

Wheat grain Zn concentration has important implications for Zn dietary intake in humans. Zn biofortification of wheat by Zn foliar application has been recognized as an efficient tool to enhance grain Zn level. In Serbia, wheat is a staple crop, and no attention is paid to wheat grain as a source of Zn. For the first time, we investigated the effect of Zn foliar application on grain Zn concentration and yield of high-yielding local bread wheat cultivars in Serbia as potential to improve Zn intake in local population. Field experiments were conducted over two growing seasons at two sites located in Vojvodina Province. Zn was applied by spraying of 0.5% water solution of ZnSO4 at the end of flowering stage. Zn foliar application had no significant effect on grain yield. Significant increases of Zn grain concentration resulted from Zn treatment in all of five cultivars tested, ranging from 15 to 49%. No significant difference between the two sites was found in the mean increase in grain Zn concentration by Zn foliar application compared with the control. No correlation was found between grain yield and grain Zn concentration, implying that high grain yields common in intensive wheat production in Serbia do not limit Zn biofortification of grain by Zn foliar application. Zn biofortification of wheat grain by a single foliar spray at the end of the flowering stage can be recommended as an efficient tool to increase Zn intake in human population and prevent low dietary Zn intake.

Highlights

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants, and Zn deficiency occurs in both crops and humans
Zn deficiency in humans markedly overlaps with the occurrence of low-Zn soils and predominates in developing countries where diets are based on cereals (Welch 1993; Bouis et al 2011)
Risk of Zn deficiency and inadequate dietary Zn intake has been identified in certain subgroups of the population in developed countries, e.g. Australia and the UK (Gibson and Heath 2011; Roberts et al 2018)

Summary

Introduction

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants, and Zn deficiency occurs in both crops and humans. Inadequate dietary Zn intake and/or poor bioavailability causes Zn deficiency in one-third of the human population, ranging from 4 to 73% across countries (Hotz and Brown 2004). Serbia 4 Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia 5 Plant Nutrition Research Group, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia approximately 50% of the population has subclinical Zn deficiency (Yang et al 2007). Risk of Zn deficiency and inadequate dietary Zn intake has been identified in certain subgroups of the population in developed countries, e.g. Australia and the UK (Gibson and Heath 2011; Roberts et al 2018)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion